Half to charles a



(No Model.)

W.- R. GERHART.

I COMBINED RAIL BRAGE AND FASTENER. No. 510,419.

' Patented Dec. 12, 1893.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM R. GERl-IART, OF LANCASTER, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF TO CHARLES A. INGLIS, OF SAME PLACE.

COMBINED RAIL BRACE AND FASTENER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 510,419,'dated December 12, 1893.

Application filed May 25, 1893. Serial No. 475,408. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM R. GERHART, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lancaster, in the county of Lancaster and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in a Combined Rail Brace and Fastener, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to that class of devices employed for bracing the outside of the rails of railways on curves and at other points where they are subjected to unusually severe strain. In the greater number of devices now employed, the braces rest on the base and against the web of the rails and are secured by spikes the pressure on which is transverse of their length. This construction throws the strain on the parts in the direction in which they have the least power of resistance. As a consequence, the braces break on the line of intersection between the parts resting on the base of the rail and against the web thereof, while the spikes are bent over and loosened in the wood of the tie, the intermittent pressure to which they are subjected causing them to work loose and upward, thus withdrawing the braces from the rails and permitting them to spread.

The object of my invention isto overcome these objections by carrying the strain from the head of the rail direct to the device securing the brace to the cross-tie and to put the pressure on the end of said device. I accomplish these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, and in which 7 Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of a rail, showing a side view of a brace and fastener embodying the improvement, and Fig. 2, a similar view, showing a portion of the brace cut away and. a modified construction of fastener. Fig. 3 is a front perspective view of the brace shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a front perspective view of a modified form of brace, and Fig. 5, a front view thereof.

Similar letters indicate like parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the details of the drawings, A

the heel that forms a shoulder a, which takes over and rests on the base of the rail. The outer part of the brace-foot rests on the crosstie and has an ofiset d in the front edge thereof, from the center of which there opens a backwardlyextending slot d Preferably, the top surface of the foot slopes downward from the front toward the back, forming a shoulder (1 at right angles with slot d The head of the brace may be enlarged, if desirable, and embrace the head of the rail, as shown at f, Fig. 1.

In securing the brace in place, it is put into position with its head I) engaging the angle between the head and web of the rail and the shoulder a resting on the base thereof, the forward end of the foot resting on the crosstie, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The spike F is then engaged with the oifset d and driven into the cross-tie with the shank extending diagonally toward the adjacent end of said tie and so that lip f of the head, when the spike is driven home, may engage the top of the metal forming the sides of slot (1 as shown.

by dotted lines 9 in Fig. 4. The key or keyspike G (so called for the purposes of this specification) is then driven into the cross-tie through slot d diagonally under the base of the rail. This key is preferably wedge-shaped, as seen in Fig. 1, and forms a bearing between spike F and the closed end of slot d above which may be formed a shoulder E to increase the bearing of the brace on the key.

In Fig. 2, the spike F is headless, but its upper end is beveled to conform with the inclination of the key H, the lip h on the head of which is turned inward and engages the metal forming the inner end of slot d In Figs. 1 and 3, the slope in the top of the foot forming shoulder d permits the inclination of spike F to be increased so as to carry the pressure from the brace through key G more directly withthe axis of the length of said spike and at the same time form a good bearing for the head thereof.

The shank of spike F may be inclined as shown by the dotted lines 6 of Fig. 1, but it is preferable that it be inclined away from the base of the rail; and in all cases the upper surface of the topof the spike should be sloped to ofier a good bearing surface to the key, and parallel therewith, as best shown in Fig. 2, and this bearing surface should have such a slope as to throw the shank of the key well under or toward the rail-base. It is not desirable that the vertical edge of the base of the rail should be engaged by the part of the foot of the brace in front of shoulder a and it would be best if the shank of spike F did not impinge against the wall forming the innerend of offset (1', as it is intended that all pressure on said spike F should be through the key, but should the shank of spike F so impinge the key will be driven in tight enough to relieve said spike from any direct pressure from the brace.

I do not limit myself to any particular construction of brace or arrangement of the spikes, as it is obvious that numerous changes may be made in such construction and arrangement without departing from the spirit of my invention; neither do I restrict myself to the particular construction of the spikes and keys herein shown and described.

My invention involves a radical departure in the construction and principle of operation of devices for securingrail braces in place, the invention consisting, broadly, in transmitting the strain from the brace to the upper ends of the devices holding them in place so as to exert a downward pressure on said holding devices.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is--- l. The combination, with a rail and crosstie, ofa brace for the rail having a slotted foot, a spike opposite the slot securing the brace to the tie, and a key engaging said slot and bearing downward on the head of the spike, substantially as and for the purpose 2. The combination, with a rail and crosstie, of a brace for the rail having a slotted foot, a spike opposite said slot having the lip on its head lapping the foot of the brace, and a key engaging said slot and bearing on the head of the spike, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

3. The combination, with a rail and crosstie, of a brace for the rail having a slotted foot, a spike opposite said slot driven into the tie with the shank thereof extending diagonally from the rail, and a key engagingsaid slot and bearing on the head of the spike, substantiallyas and for the purpose specified.

t. The combination, with a rail and crosstie, of a brace for the rail having a slotted foot, a spike opposite said slot securing the brace to the tie, and a key engaging said slot with its shank driven into the tie diagonally toward the rail and bearing on the head of the spike, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

5. The combination, with a rail and crosstie, of a brace for the rail having a slotted foot, a spike opposite said slot driven into the tie with the shank thereof extending diagonally from the rail, and a key engaging said slot with its shank driven into the tie diagonally toward the rail and bearing on the head of the spike, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

6. The combination, with a rail and crosstie, of a brace for the rail having an offset in the foot thereof and aslot opening into the offset, a spike driven into the tie through the offset, and a key engaging said slot and bearing on the head of the spike, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

7. The combination, with a rail and crosstie, ot' a brace engaging the head of the rail and extending diagonally downward to the tie and having a slot in the foot thereof, a spike opposite the mouth of the slot securing said foot to the tie, and a key engaged in said slot and bearing on the head of the spike, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

8. The combination, with a rail and crosstie, of a brace engaging the head of the rail and extending diagonally downward to the tie and having a slot in the foot thereof, a spike having the head thereof lapping the foot of the brace and securing the same to the tie, and a key engaging said slot and bearing against the head of the spike, substantially as and for the purpose; specified.

9. The combination, with a rail and crosstie, of a brace engaging the head of the rail and extending diagonally downward and having a slot therein, a heel on the foot of the brace bearing on the base of the rail, the front of said foot resting on said tie and having an opening between it and the edge of the base of the rail, a spike opposite the mouth of the slot securing said foot to the tie, and a key engaged in said slot and bearing on the head of the spike, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

10. The combination, with a rail and crosstie, of a brace engaging the head of the rail and extending diagonally down ward and having the foot thereof resting on the base of the rail and the tie, the said foot having an ofifset formed therein and a slot opening into the offset, a spike driven into the tie through the offset, and a key engaging said slot and hearing on the head of the spike, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

WM. R. GERHART.

Witnesses:

A. B. HAMBRIGHT, ELLA L. GERHART. 

